In the Beat of the Night
by irk
Summary: Skylar's trip to Japan is marred by criminal tragedy, and now he is torn between loves and the only shelter for his heart is the dance.
1. Gotcha

  
Skylar Jameson Richtervanson was a young eighteen when he finally realized his dream of coming to Japan. He walked the sparkling streets and whipped his head around, gazing at the sparkling lights and signs. Neon rays reflected off of his soft sandy short wispy windblown hair. His brand new Doc Martens clopped along the concrete and his gold stud earring glittered from his ear. He smiled, perfect white teeth sparkling from his sparkling happy smile. He had found paradise. Japan. Land of the free.   
  
Then he got mugged.   
  
"We are from the Yakuza and we have your passport and stuff!" The Yakuzaman in his thuggish attire and with a golden tooth shook Skylar's passport in his face. Skylar tried to grab it and the Yakuzaman laughed, pulling the passport higher. All the Yakuzaman laugh as Skylar jumps up and down for his passport. "Okay we are busy so enough fun, we have your Visa and things like that so you will work for us now!!!" So they pulled him down the alley and another alley until they reached a seedy apartment complex where they put Skylar in a room and told him it was his room and he would work for them now and then they left.   
  
Skylar cried.   
  
When he finally wiped his sparkling liquid aqua eyes dry, Skylar decided that he was feeling down because of being kidnapped and having his papers and things stolen and his apartment was ugly. So he decided to go have some fun. He walked outside and was outside the apartment building when a guy, twenty-three years old by the cut of his jib, stepped up next to him. He had dark drown hair and tousled bangs and a sliky ponytail that drifted in the wind, but cruel eyes. Skylar shivered. He was so cruelly beautiful.   
  
The man looked down over his sunglasses, oval-shaped and amber-lensed. "Well, honey, what is a fine thing like you doing out in this place? My name is Ingu. I'm here to look after you." His eyes were not warm but were somehow protective, overpowering Skylar and melting him into Ingu's strong firm arms.   
  
"Look after me?" Skylar's voice was soft and pliable.   
  
Ingu snickered, the sound chilling Skylar in an eerily pleasing way. "You make me sound like a guardian knight, when I'm just here to make sure you don't run away. You're working for us, Skylar. I read your name on your driver's liscence, by the way."   
  
"Oh. Oh...okay." Skylar's voice was downcast.   
  
Ingu lit up a cigarette, sexy smoke puffing out his lips. "So where do you think you're going? You look depressed and stuff."   
  
Skylar said "I want to go do something to pick up my mood. Have you never been mellow?"   
  
* * *   
  
Ingu raised his eyebrows. "Wow, that's impressive. You look like you could do it all night."   
  
Skylar bounced up and down in his own dimension, a dimension where everything moved to the beat of the soul and was accompanied by matching graphics. Where he was a carefree CG model whose only purpose was to dance, no matter if he was a robotic bunny or not. But now he was that chick with bat wings and cat ears, the gothy one...black, like his soul. She moved like he moved, except for one vital difference: she bounced with the happiness and lightness of a girl with nothing on her mind except music, whereas Skylar's steps lagged because on his mind was his being kidnapped and having his papers and things stolen and his apartment was ugly. The dancing was not enough to free him and make him feel free, but he still won rounds at level six on trick, so at least he had that.  
  
Skylar stepped off of the pad after a round and puffed and huffed with exhaustion. He sat down and looked arounf. Ingu was gone for a smoke. Escape was likely, but Skylar still wanted to dance, so maybe later.  
  
And then _he_ stepped up.  
  
He was beautiful, with lovely white long hair drifting in the breeze from the airconditioning. It whipped about because the air was turned up high because Tokyo was hot at this time of month. The hair sparkled and glittered it was so clean, and its shininess matched up with the man's silver eyes with silver lashes. He was wearing a white button-down shirt with black jeans that clung tight to his long lean legs. Skylar watched those legs all through two rounds of DDR, watching the man dance. He was good. Kami-sama he was fantastic, doing songs at maniac on level ten without breaking a sweatr. Syklar watched him play Kick the Can and then got to his feet.  
  
The man noticed him and smiled. "Oh, would you like to play with me?"  
  
"Yes." Skylar definitely meant yes.  
  
"Okay, step up." The man was very kind and smiling, and it was a doubles machine and Skylar could dance right next to him! Japan wasn't so bad after all!  
  
As they danced, they talked. The man's name was Chousenjou. It was a beautiful name that meant wolf. He worked here and could play all the DDR he wants, so Skylar got free games! Skylar didn't tell him about his being kidnapped and having his papers and things stolen and his apartment was ugly, because he didn't want to get in trouble. But it didn't matter anyways, because Chousenjou was handsome and kind and made Skylar's heart go THUMP.  
  
But Skylar had to go because he had to get sleep so he could be a proper labor slave. ;_; So he said farewell to Chousenjou.  
  
"Are you sure? We're burnin' the floor!" Chousenjou grabbed Skylar's hand and his fingers were long and smooth, his palms warm. Skylar couldn't keep on movin' for a moment, his thoughts in a hypnotic crisis from Chousenjou's touch.  
  
He sighed, shaking his tawny blonde head. He had to drop the bomb. "No, I can't keep on movin' all night. But...but I'll return, I promise, Chousenjou! I-" _love you..._ "...can't wait to dance again!" Oh, kami-sama, he almost let it slip!  
  
Chousenjou sighed, then smiled wistfully. "If you can say goodbye, then I guess you need to go. Farewell, Skylar-chan." He ruffled Skylar's hair and the boy hid his blush, darting out and almost running into Ingu.  
  
"Oh, good, there you are! Glad you didn't take off or anything, because this cigarette lasted like an hour! Okay, back to your apartment now." They went back. Skylar was almost overcome by Ingu's raw carnal cruel looks, and his heart fluttered and he couldn't let him go as he made to leave the apartment. Overcome by desire, Ingu's hand drifted down to Skylar's butt and he went in.  
  
They had sex.  
  
* * * 


	2. Get Up and Dance

  
Skylar sighed, brushing sandy wispy hair away from his windblown forehead. A day ago, he had thought that Japan was the promised land, where fun engrish phrases adorned every sign and manga was sold in every store and everyone loved anime as a true expression of art. A place of freedom and acceptance and racial and gender harmony. A place where everyone spoke english and loved him for being an American and gave him Pocky. But now, he knew the truth: Japan was just like that. But it had the Yakuza. And they were forcing him into slave labor because they had his papers and every time he tried to escape, he couldn't because Ingu was that sexy! It sent shivers dancing along Skylar's spine, dancing really fast and with enough skill to probably beat a level 6 song.  
  
But thoughts of Ingu's cruel, perplexing attractiveness were not going to help Skylar, because he had to work now. He hunched over, back sore from hunching. His foot pedaled back and forth on the pedal of the sewing machine. He had to sew, sew all day, because the Yakuza had decided that a fortune could be made by mass-producing cosplay outfits for cutthroat labor costs. And they were right.   
  
The work was hard, and it was cruel, and the worst part was that Skylar could get SO MUCH for this plugsuit on ebay. It was so unfair and his back was sore and his fingers were pricked. He sucked one crying, as they finally herded the workers into their apartments and gave them each a Pocky ration. He munched on his Pocky as eyes sparkled down from his tears and he flopped down into bed.  
  
But pretty soon he got back up and went to go play DDR again.  
  
* * *  
  



	3. Boom Boom Dollar

A couple days later Skylar woke up with Ingu and Ingu told him they were going somewhere since the Yakuza didnt' work on weekends so they got up and Skylar asked where they were going and Ingu said Walmart.  
  
So they went.  
  
* * *  
  
"We have a discount on Pocky here, see?" Ingu held up a box of Pocky. It was on sale.  
  
"So we're buying groceries for the Yakuza?" Skylar blinked. This was so cool!  
  
"Shh! Don't say _Yakuza_! Say _cosplayers_!" He took a drag from his cigarette which Walmart let him smoke indoors because he was their special customer. "But yes, we are buying groceries for the Yakuza."  
  
"Okay!"  
  
"And after this, we go play DDR."  
  
"Yay!"  
  
Ingu smirked cruelly. He had Skylar in the palm of his hand. Nobody could stop the Yakuza now.  
  
* * *  
  
"Chousenjou! Hi! This is my friend, Ingu! He's a yak--a _cosplayer_!"  
  
* * * 


	4. Can't Stop Fallin' in Love

Skylar was outside because Chousenjou pulled him aside to talk outside. He stared up into Chousenjou's liquid quicksilver eyes with confusion. "Chousenjou..." he sighed, wanting. Standing out here in the parking lot by the highway in the humidity and smell of parking lot was so _romantic_...  
  
"Skylar." Chousenjou's voice was serious but tinged with concern and warm. "You've been hiding somethin g from me. I know you're afraid, but you have to tell me about Ingu." His warm hand settled on Skylar's shoulder like gravid pudding.  
  
"I...but..." Skylar was afraid!  
  
"He's not an ordinary DDR player, Skylar. I can tell. No one but the Yakuza would ever possess so much Pocky."  
  
* * *  
  
Ingu scowled. He did not like the cut of this "Chousenjou" man's jib, and he was suspicious of him too as well. He didn't say anything and stomped up to the mat and played Stomp to my Beat and won. He kept playing and won so much that he didn't notice Chousenjou and Skylar were gone and then they were back. He finished his round of Drop Out on maniac and stepped off. Skylar looked very tense for some reason, but he wanted to leave now and so he left with Skylar and they went back and had hot sex.  
  
Skylar is a spy now.  
  
* * *  
  
This went on for a few days but Chousenjou grew very guilty from making Skylar a spy because he felt he might love him.  
  
* * *  
  
A week passed.  
  
* * *  
  
Skylar grew to love Ingu because of his cruel sexiness and wicked tenderness and grew guilty that he was spying.  
  
* * *  
  
Ingu wasn't really guilty but he liked Skylar, maybe loved him cruelly.  
  
* * *  
  
Then they all went to play DDR.  
  
* * * 


	5. The Race

Ingu was feeling not exactly guilty about selling Skylar into slave labor but felt for some reason he couldn't think of that he should buy Skylar a present, so he did. His Pocky selling money was more than enough to cover it and besides, many stores would give him things 'pro boner' because he was Of the Yakuza.  
  
So he did.  
  
Skylar said he loved his black leather pants, and Ingu agreed fervently with him.  
  
So they had sex. In the pants.  
  
* * *  
  
Chousenjou had to admit that he liked the pants, and Ingu had good taste in pants and men. But this was getting dangerous, and he told Skylar so.  
  
"This is getting dangerous, Skylar."  
  
"But, Chousenjou, I..." Skylar choked on all the words.  
  
"I know you're afraid." He held Skylar close. "But I'll be with you."  
  
Skylar felt himself being pulled, pulled from Chousenjou to Ingu back to Chousenjou and so on but he couldn't snap, not in his leather pants. So he sank into Chousenjou's embrace and it was so warm he felt protected and loved. Nothing could drag him away from this love.  
  
"_Skylar!!!_"  
  
Skylar hid his face from Ingu. _Almost nothing..._  
  
* * *  
  
"FBI huh? I should have known. Well, the FBI may be strong in Japan, but not like the Yakuza, and I'm in the Yakuza, so give me Skylar and we won't have any trouble I think." Ingu smirked but inside he was frownsy.  
  
"You talk big, Yakuzaman. But I don't think you are...big." Chousenjou's words sent the whole room silent.  
  
Ingu narrowed his eyes. "And just what do you think you want to prove THAT with?"  
  
So they played DDR.  
  
* * *  
  
Skylar watched them dance in VS mode, his heart tubthumping. Would Chousenjou win, with his catlike grace and speed and justice? 0r would Ingu win with his speed and agility and skill? Which did he want to win could he choose he did not know.  
  
* * * 


	6. Flashdance

To dance was fate for the two of them, and so they danced, feet moving very quickly and hair whirling around and sparkling in the flashing arcade lights. Skylar watched, his heart in his neck as the two battled it out for a full and terrifying five minutes. is fate was on the line and he could not choose because they were both sdo very sexy and he didn't know what Chousenjou was like in bed! He cried. At the sight of Skylar's tears Chousenjou found a new burst of energy within his heart and made all perfects and finished with a handplant and a kneedrop and it looked totally sweet. Ingu futched the bar, gasping.  
  
He had lost? What would happen to the Yakuza now and maybe his own heart?  
  
Chousenjou and Skylar did not notice because they were hugging. The healing vision that they would be together against all odds banished away forever their paranoia eternal.  
  
* * *  
  
They had sex.  
  
* * *  
  
Ingu dreaded telling his Yakuza boss that he had lost Skylar. The boss, Gyosei, was very mean and would probably make him wear the leather harness again.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, in the arcade, dark figures crept up, strangled the owner and took over and danced a bunch of free games and got all perfect triplle S's and double A's and then they left and all that was there was a ninja star.  
  
* * *  
  
Chousenjou answered the phone, Sklar sleeping cutely beside him. His face darkened. "Are you sure? Then they're back?" He hung up. "Things are going to get real busy now." He grabbed his FBI badge and kissed the sleeping Skylar goodbye.  
  
* * *  
  
Ingu put bandages on his inner thighs and weeped.  
  
* * * 


	7. Candy

Skylar was feeling gooder that he was not a slave but he wondered. Why did something feel missing like? Why would he miss Ingu who was a mean yakuzaman and cruel? Chousenjour was nice and kind and he was from the FBI and thus was cool. But he lacked Ingu's special unique properties. Chousenjo was beautifully beautiful but he was not cruelly beautiful and Skylar wondered if this was the problem. And was Ingu doing okay now?  
  
Suddenly Chousenjou burst through the door with shocking news.  
  
"I have shocking news," Chousenjou said. "The ninjas that have been the bane of Tokyo and its DDR scene have come back and raided an arcade. They killed some guy and took up all the high scores and this is a top issue for the FBI. They are also the Yakuza's arch nemesis.  
  
"Would you like to sit down?" Skylar asked. "I can make you an iced tea."  
  
"Okay." Chousenjou sat down.  
  
* * *  
  
Ingu brushed his hair out of his eyes and growled because he hated ninjas as all yakuza do. He walked around the arcade and inspected things, smelling ninja all over the place they smell like flannel. An object caught his eye and he inspected it, hissing betweenn his teeth kind of snakelikely. He bent over, pants straining around his very well-muscled legs, and he examined the object.  
  
His eyes narrowed, kind of like a snake.  
  
* * *  
  
"Pocky?" Skylar blinked vapidly like he was good at. "I don't understand."  
  
Chousenjou sighed. "It is what has created the ancient enmity between the yakuza and the ninjas. The Yakuza invented Pocky and it is why they are so rich. It also keeps them well-fed because why eat anything else when you have an unlimited supply of Pocky? You got healthier after you were a Yakuza cosplay slave, didn't you? This is because you were on their Pocky diet."  
  
Skylar realized that Chousenjou was right. "0kay, that I understand, but where do the ninjas come in?"  
  
Chousenjou sighed, running his fingers through his platinun hair. "Ninjas are expert killers, trained in the deadly arts of death. They know many weapons and their art. But one weapon above all is favorite to them. Light, aerodynamic, able to be thrown or shot or arrowed. A weapon that can be concealed anywhere and go through any security check. The most dangerous weapon of all. The poisoned Pocky stick. And that is why the ninjas and the Yakuza are the rivals. They fight for control of Pocky and the DDR empire."  
  
"The DDR empire?" Skylar blink. "DDR is that important?"  
  
Chousenjou nodded. "Like a Toyota is friendly."  
  
* * *  
  
Ninjas attacked.  
  
* * * 


End file.
